ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR RISK

Most People with Prediabetes Have No Symptoms

Understanding your risk for Diabetes is the first step in preventing it. Type 2 Diabetes is more and more common, but it is not destiny--even for people with Prediabetes, and even for people with a family history of Diabetes.

The more you know about your risk (or diagnosis) for Prediabetes, the more you can do now to prevent progressively serious complications of Type 2 Diabetes down the road.

Complications of uncontrolled Type 2 include:

Heart and blood vessel disease

Stroke

Loss of vision or blindness

High blood pressure

Kidney damage or failure

Nerve damage with pain

Foot problems

Non-healing wounds (leading to amputation)

Risk factors for Diabetes include:

Older age

Family history

Excess weight, particularly around the waist

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Poor diet

Physical inactivity

Certain racial and ethnic backgrounds

History of Gestational Diabetes

History of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

In Ethnic Groups

Certain racial or ethnic groups have higher rates of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. The risk is higher even after adjusting for other factors. In the United States, Type 2 Diabetes is more prevalent for these ethnic groups:

Native Americans

African Americans

Latinos

Asian Americans

In Children

Type 2 Diabetes is rare for children of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Still, it has higher rates in the same racial and ethnic groups mentioned above. Across all groups though, Type 2 Diabetes is increasing, usually emerging around the age of puberty. The number of children diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes is growing along with the growing numbers of overweight youth. Still, it is much less common in children and young adults than it is in older people.